Facial aging does not happen in one layer. Skin loses elasticity, facial fat shifts and diminishes, and the ligaments that once supported the cheeks and jawline relax. These changes can create sagging jowls, deeper folds around the mouth, loose skin, and less definition between the face and neck. A facelift addresses this structural descent to restore smoother, more youthful contours without erasing the features that make you recognizable.
Dr. Mike Roskies performs facelift surgery in Toronto for women and men seeking natural-looking facial rejuvenation. As a double-fellowship-trained, double-board-certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon, he practices exclusively on the face. Each procedure reflects the patient’s anatomy, facial proportions, skin quality, and priorities. The goal is a refreshed appearance that remains unmistakably your own.
Dr. Roskies describes facial aging through three related changes: deterioration, deflation, and descent.
Deterioration occurs as collagen and elastin decline. Sun exposure, genetics, smoking, and time affect skin elasticity and texture, allowing lines and discoloration to become more visible.
Deflation is the loss or redistribution of facial volume. The cheeks may flatten or descend while the temples and under-eye areas become hollow. Fat grafting can restore volume when repositioning existing facial fat is insufficient.
Descent develops as facial ligaments loosen and underlying tissues shift. The cheeks settle, nasolabial folds deepen, and jowls interrupt the jawline. These structural changes cannot be fully corrected by tightening facial skin alone.
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View facelift results from Dr. Roskies’ patients.
A facelift, medically called rhytidectomy, repositions descended soft tissue and removes excess skin from the mid-to-lower face. It can improve the cheeks, folds around the mouth, jawline, and upper neck. It does not change your identity or stop aging. It establishes firmer contours from which aging continues.
Facelift describes a family of surgical procedures. Different techniques work at different depths and address different areas. Dr. Roskies most often uses a modified deep plane technique, adapting the correction to the patient’s facial structure.
A surgical facelift may improve:
A facelift does not directly improve pigmentation, etched lines, eyebrow position, eyelid skin, or isolated volume loss. Laser resurfacing, a brow lift, eyelid surgery, dermal fillers, or fat grafting may address those concerns.
The superficial musculoaponeurotic system, or SMAS, is a supportive layer beneath the skin connected with the facial muscles and neck platysma. The deep plane technique works beneath this layer in selected areas. Releasing specific facial ligaments allows Dr. Roskies to mobilize the skin and SMAS together and reposition this composite tissue.
This structural approach can soften deep folds, elevate cheek tissue, and improve sagging jowls while limiting tension on the skin closure. Once underlying tissues are repositioned, the skin is redraped and excess skin removed.
A deep plane facelift is one established approach. Evidence supports both deep-plane and modern SMAS techniques. Selection depends on anatomy, laxity, previous surgery, and surgical judgment. Dr. Roskies will explain why his recommended approach fits your face.
A full facelift treats the midface, lower face, jawline, and often the neck. It may suit facial aging across connected regions. “Full” describes scope, not one set of incisions or manoeuvres.
“Traditional facelift” is a broad term. Older skin-only methods placed lifting tension on the skin, but many contemporary approaches reposition or tighten the SMAS. A deep plane facelift differs mainly in its dissection plane and release of retaining ligaments. Neither approach is right for every face.
A mid facelift focuses on the cheeks and area beneath the eyes rather than the jawline and neck. Dr. Roskies determines whether this focused approach or broader surgery will create better balance.
Treatments promoted as a “non surgical facelift” cannot remove excess skin or reposition descended tissue. Dermal fillers restore volume, neuromodulators soften movement-related lines, and energy-based care may improve skin tone or modest laxity. These options can treat early signs or complement surgery, but they are not surgical equivalents.
A patient with early jowling and a smooth neck may need less correction than someone with cheek descent, loose skin, and visible neck bands. Conversely, a full facelift may be unnecessary when the concern is limited to the eyelids, brow, skin surface, or isolated volume loss.
Dr. Roskies evaluates the face as a connected structure. The cheeks influence the folds around the mouth; the jawline flows into the neck; and facial volume affects how lifted tissue will appear. This broader assessment helps prevent an incomplete result in which one treated area looks disconnected from another. It also avoids adding surgical procedures that do not contribute meaningfully to the patient’s goals.
A natural result begins before the operating room. Dr. Roskies considers the patient’s baseline asymmetry, bone structure, hairline, ear anatomy, skin thickness, and patterns of volume loss. He also asks which facial characteristics the patient values and wants to preserve. These details guide the direction and extent of lift, incision planning, and decisions about volume.
The objective is not to remove every line. Normal expression, subtle asymmetry, and age-appropriate character belong on a living face. Effective facial rejuvenation supports descended tissues and improves distracting laxity while preserving those qualities. Before surgery, Dr. Roskies will explain the changes likely to be noticeable, the concerns a facelift cannot address, and the range of outcomes your tissues may reasonably support.
For a suitable patient, facelift surgery can:
No technique can guarantee a degree or duration of correction. The aim is facial harmony through a plan respecting skin quality, volume, muscle tone, and bone structure.
You may be a candidate if you are concerned by loose skin, descending cheeks, sagging jowls, deepening nasolabial folds, or reduced jawline and neck definition. Good candidates are generally healthy, do not smoke or use nicotine, and have realistic expectations about surgery, scarring, recovery, and results.
There is no universal “right age” for undergoing facelift surgery. Many patients seek surgery in their 50s or 60s; younger patients may qualify for a focused approach. Genetics, sun exposure, weight changes, and skin elasticity often matter more than age.
Medical conditions, medications, prior procedures, or healing concerns may affect candidacy. Nicotine compromises blood flow and healing, so patients must follow cessation instructions. Candidacy requires a personal examination.
Your facelift consultation is a working conversation about what you see, what Dr. Roskies sees anatomically, and what can be achieved safely. He will examine your facial skin, fat distribution, facial ligaments, underlying tissues, hairline, scars, and neck. He will also review your health history, medications, previous facial plastic surgery, and any non-surgical treatments you have received.
Discuss the changes that matter most to you. Photographs can explain a preference, but surgery must fit your proportions. Dr. Roskies will recommend a facelift procedure, explain its limits and risks, and consider whether another treatment adds meaningful benefit.
Before surgery, you may need medical testing or medication adjustments. Make changes only with instructions from your prescribing clinician and surgical team. Arrange transportation, help at home, and adequate time away from work. You will receive individualized directions.
Facelift surgery may use general anesthesia or another plan selected for the patient and the operation. Surgery occurs in an accredited setting with appropriate monitoring.
Facelift incisions follow the ear’s natural contours and the hairline. Length and position vary with anatomy, hairstyle, previous surgery, and neck treatment. Dr. Roskies accesses the planned layer, releases selected ligaments when using the deep plane technique, and repositions deeper tissue. He then redrapes the skin, trims excess, and closes the incisions.
As an invasive surgical procedure, a facelift requires meticulous planning around facial nerve anatomy and blood supply. The technical details are tailored rather than chosen from a menu by name alone.
Every surgical facelift creates scars. Incisions are placed in natural creases around the ear and strategically along the hairline to make them less conspicuous as they mature. A deep structural lift may reduce the tension needed at the skin edge, but it does not make scars invisible.
Early scars may look pink, firm, or raised before softening. Genetics, skin type, sun, nicotine, and wound care influence visible scarring. Dr. Roskies monitors incisions during follow-up appointments and advises on scar care.
A facelift addresses descended mid-to-lower facial tissue. A neck lift can tighten the platysma, treat tissue beneath the chin, and add definition when lower-face correction would leave the neck unbalanced.
A brow lift treats brow descent, while blepharoplasty addresses the eyelids. Facial fat grafting may restore volume in the cheeks, temples, or under-eye region. Laser resurfacing treats texture and discoloration. Combining procedures can support balanced facial contours and a coordinated recovery, but may increase operative time, swelling, and recovery demands.
Facelift recovery unfolds in stages. Swelling, bruising, tightness, numbness, tenderness, and temporary asymmetry are expected early experiences. Discomfort varies and is managed according to the postoperative plan. You will need a responsible adult to drive you home and assist you during the initial recovery period.
Dr. Roskies examines patients soon after surgery. Dressings, drains, or support garments depend on the operation, and sutures are removed according to healing. Light walking is encouraged; bending, lifting, strenuous exercise, and incision pressure remain restricted until clearance.
Many patients return to desk work and quiet social activity in about two to three weeks, although swelling may remain. Exercise resumes gradually. Follow-up appointments track healing and guide activity.
The recovery protocol may include LED light therapy, therapeutic ultrasound, or other supportive care. These services do not replace time and careful postoperative habits. Healing varies by surgery and patient.
Improvement emerges as swelling resolves. The jawline may look clearer, cheeks more supported, and neck transition smoother. The face settles over several months, while scars can evolve for a year or longer.
A facelift can create a more youthful appearance, but aging continues. Weight stability, sun protection, healthy habits, and skincare help protect the result. Later maintenance should respond to the face as it ages.
All surgical procedures carry risks. Potential facelift complications include bleeding or hematoma, infection, fluid accumulation, delayed wound healing, skin loss, unfavorable scarring, temporary or lasting changes in sensation, hair loss near an incision, facial nerve weakness, asymmetry, persistent swelling, anesthesia complications, and the possibility of revision surgery. Some complications can be serious.
Proper training, nicotine restrictions, full medical disclosure, and recovery compliance can reduce avoidable risk but cannot eliminate it. Dr. Roskies reviews risks before you decide whether to proceed.
Facelift cost varies because the operation is customized. Pricing reflects the technique and extent of surgery, operative time, anesthesia, accredited facility fees, follow-up care, recovery services, and any procedures performed at the same time. A mini facelift, full facelift, and combined face-and-neck lift involve different resources and cannot be priced accurately without an examination.
You will receive a personalized quote after your consultation. The decision should account for surgical training, facial specialization, safety standards, aftercare, and whether the proposed plan fits your anatomy, rather than price alone.
Facelift surgery sits at the intersection of aesthetics, facial anatomy, and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Roskies is double fellowship trained and double board certified in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Head and Neck Microvascular Reconstruction. His training includes fellowships at the University of Toronto and Cleveland Clinic, and his practice focuses exclusively on cosmetic surgery of the face.
That background informs a preservation-minded approach: understand what changed, reposition what descended, protect function, and avoid unnecessary alteration. Patients comparing Toronto facelift surgeons should review credentials, photographs, facility standards, aftercare, and communication. Labels such as “top facelift surgeons” or “best facelift surgeons” cannot replace that evaluation.
If changes in your cheeks, jawline, or neck no longer respond to non-surgical care, meet with Dr. Mike Roskies at 66 Avenue Road in Toronto for an anatomy-based assessment and personalized plan. Contact the practice to request a consultation.
A facelift repositions the cheeks, lower face, and jawline. A neck lift addresses loose neck skin, platysma bands, and tissue beneath the chin. They may be combined or performed independently.
The goal is recognizable rejuvenation. Dr. Roskies repositions descended tissue and redrapes skin without excessive tension to restore facial contours. Results vary, and realistic expectations remain essential.
Early recovery can involve tightness, pressure, tenderness, and numbness. Dr. Roskies provides medication and aftercare instructions. Contact the team promptly about severe pain, sudden swelling, breathing difficulty, or other concerning changes.
Structural improvements are long-lasting, but aging continues. Longevity depends on the procedure, anatomy, skin quality, weight changes, lifestyle, and genetics. New laxity and volume changes can develop over time.
Yes, for appropriate candidates. Eyelid surgery addresses the upper or lower lids, and a brow lift treats brow descent. Safety, facial harmony, and recovery demands guide the plan.
No technique is best for everyone. Deep plane and modern SMAS approaches both support meaningful improvement. Dr. Roskies uses the deep plane when its tissue release and repositioning fit the patient’s anatomy and goals.
This life is what we make of it. Dr. Mike Roskies helps patients like you determine their own futures through innovative, meticulous, and gorgeous facial plastic surgery in Toronto. As one of the rising stars of plastic surgery, patients come from around the country to receive Dr. Roskies’ life-changing procedures. Ready to give your story an exciting new chapter? Schedule a consultation with Dr. Roskies today.
66 Avenue Road #1, Toronto, Ontario M5R 3N8
